New exhibit opens at historical museum

Monday

Jul 15, 2013 at 3:47 PM

The unveiling of the “Great Depression and World War II Era 1929 to 1945” display at the Marion County Museum of History and Archeology came to life Sunday as a local veteran shared his recollections with visitors.

By Andy FillmoreCorrespondent

OCALA - The unveiling of the “Great Depression and World War II Era 1929 to 1945” display at the Marion County Museum of History and Archeology came to life Sunday as a local veteran shared his recollections with visitors.

“In 1941, I remember waving good-bye to the boys like Bernard Watts, who was about five years older than me, as they left downtown Ocala on a bus for service in the war,” Charles Dutton, 88, told those gathered for the exhibit opening, which was followed by a lecture by Joseph Knetsch, co-author of “Florida in the Great Depression: Desperation and Defiance.”

Dutton said that two years later, he was in service with the Navy on the USS Orca. He was a member of the Ocala High School Class of 1943, but was not able to attend the graduation ceremonies.

“My mother accepted my diploma at graduation because I had enough credits and I was already in service. My mother was given a flag at the graduation ceremony,” he said.

Dutton said his ship was struck by a Japanese kamikaze pilot and that he still has some shrapnel, which he intends to donate for the exhibit.

The museum, a nonprofit organization operated by the Marion County Historical Association, Inc., is located in the former East Hall on the north side of the McPherson Governmental Complex and is itself an interesting piece of local history.

“This was the detention facility for the ‘worst of the worst’ of the girls held at (Alyce) D. McPherson School for Girls. The building had 10-foot by 10-foot cells for runaways. I’ve had visitors come back and say this straightened them out,” said Vanessa Thomas, a museum trustee and chairwoman of the Marion County Historical Commission, an advisory board that reports to the County Commission.

The museum traces the county’s history from about 10,000 years ago through World War II. A current showpiece display includes items from the Henderson Collection, such as a centuries old, fully intact roughly 16-inch diameter ceramic pot that was unearthed in shell mounds at Silver Glen Springs.

The Great Depression and World War II Era exhibit details the Florida ship canal, which later was changed to a barge canal before it was cancelled; the 1935 “Ma” Barker mob shootout in Ocklawaha; and the Greenville Aviation School at Taylor Field, where 5,000 cadets trained from 1941 to 1944 for service in World War II. Civilian artifacts give a feel for daily life in this area during the war.

“These are ration books. Meats, gas, tires, nylons were all rationed during the war, and very difficult to get,” Hoyalene Thomas said, pointing out the books. Hoyalene is Vanessa Thomas’ mother.

Dutton related to the rationing shortages, stating that when he got back home in 1946 he gathered up stamps to get a new brown suit coat, pants and shoes.

“Everybody thought I was 4-F,” he said.

Among the exhibit artifacts are World War II “V-mail” and currency that includes a 1943 steel penny. One letter, postmarked May 26, 1944, was from a service man in Ocala to W.R. Threlkel, in “Louisville, 6, Kentucky.” There is no postage amount shown on the cancellation.

“That letter was sent by one of the cadets in flight training at Greenville Aviation School. They didn’t have to pay postage,” Hoyalene Thomas said.

A shirt pocket-size copy of the New Testament is on display, indicating the books were distributed to American soldiers with a message inside calling it “recommended reading” from President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Museum trustees said they would like add a 1940’s era radio to the collection to show visitors how many families got news reports at the time. Hoyaline Thomas said she also hopes to add additional artifacts and enlarged photos to the exhibit.

The exhibit was made possible by a donation from Amber Mathis in memory of her father, Archie Mathis, a World War II veteran who died in 1977. The donation will cover ongoing additions, trustees said.

“My father was stationed at Camp Blanding and visited here often. He liked it in Ocala, and we moved here from Washington, D.C., in 1972,” Mathis said as she looked over the exhibit.